Recognizing the crucial role of media in advancing tobacco control, the Public Health Foundation of India,under its Project STEPS (Strengthening of Tobacco Control Efforts through Innovative Partnerships andStrategies), aims to assist media persons in developing an in-depth understanding about various aspects of tobacco control and encourage them to highlight the need for tobacco control, particularly in India by awarding FIVE media fellowships in Gujarat. The PHFI – STEPS media fellowship will be awarded to print media journalists working in Gujarat (Anand, Kheda, Banaskantha, Rajkot, Surat, Tapi, Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar districts) demonstrating interest and/or experience in reporting on issues in public health in general and tobacco control in particular.

The information can also be viewed in English on website www.ctchp.org . Interested journalists need to apply online using the following link:

Gujarat accounts for 14% of the total undisclosed income generated in the country., says DNA

This was revealed in the recent all-India figures for unaccounted income for the financial year 2011-12. The state accounted for Rs1,250 crore of the Rs9,200 crore disclosed. The Income Tax (I-T) department carried out 24 searches on 30 groups in the state, which resulted in Rs72.05 crore worth of seizures.
I-T sleuths also zeroed in on four foreign accounts of two groups in Baroda and Rajkot. Details of these accounts with HSBC Bank were provided by the Centre. According to sources in the department, these foreign accounts resulted in disclosure of Rs135 crore of income and they are likely to get Rs40 crore by way of tax on the same. These groups told I-T officials that the income was earned abroad but they failed to explain the source of the income. Assets worth Rs30 crore were also seized from the two groups.